Early signing period a good thing

A packed Lake Butler (Fla.) High School gymnasium awaits C.J. Spiller's college choice.

Spiller strides to the podium and places a Clemson hat on his head — and Tiger fans everywhere go crazy.

Wait a second, you're saying. Spiller committed in February 2006, on national signing day.

Exactly.

If college coaches and athletic directors come to their senses, that scene — or at least others like it — could become a reality.

This week, SEC coaches voted 9-3 in favor of an early signing period for football, much like the period their basketball counterparts enjoy. And although SEC athletic directors and presidents voted against taking the proposal to the NCAA Board of Directors for further consideration, the coaches' vote is a sign that sanity is gaining traction in the whacked-out world of football recruiting.

An early football signing period makes so much sense that it's no surprise some in power are against it.

Elite prospects like Spiller who wait until the last minute to commit receive intense pressure, both from recruiters and Internet-based recruiting analysts and reporters who bombard them with telephone calls.

Well-meaning friends and family members ratchet up the pressure, albeit unintentionally, with constant questions.

The pressure will be the same in December, but by ending the chase two months earlier, prospects can focus on more important matters like grades, family and their senior year of high school (one of the best times in any young man's life).

Are there negatives to an early period?

Sure.

Football season is tough enough for coaches without the added burden of recruiting. For most coaches, recruiting kicks into high gear once the regular season ends, letting them hit the road and focus on the next generation of players.

Right now, recruits flood stadiums every weekend on "unofficial" visits, where players pay their own way and don't stay overnight.

With an early signing period, those visits would become official — paid for by schools with overnight stays and player-hosts.

The top players wouldn't mind serving as hosts following a difficult loss — after all, they want their teams to improve, too — but the overall burden could become more stressful for programs.

That said, the overall benefits of an early signing period clearly outweigh the negatives.

Snag an early commitment of Spiller or James Davis' caliber, and the player, if so inclined, could become a Pied Piper for other uncommitted recruits over the next two months.

In some ways, the early period is already in place — players who graduate early from high school can start their college careers in January, as top defensive end Da'Quan Bowers did at Clemson this year.

Perhaps a true early period could motivate more players to finish high school early and jump-start their college experience.

There are too many positives for it not to work — if college officials are willing to listen.